The slate of events in and around Dallas this weekend are literally and figuratively all over the map. You can enjoy movies, music, and more in Denton; celebrate the Earth at Fair Park; laugh your head off in Arlington; or check out art of all types at galleries throughout Dallas. But first, you might want to taste some of the best food Dallas has to offer at our own special event.
Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, April 20
2017 Thin Line Festival
Thin Line is a film, music, and photography festival held at multiple venues in and around Denton, including Campus Theatre, Dan's Silverleaf, Rubber Gloves Studio, and UNT on the Square. The festival's program includes high-quality documentary films, world-class music, and a diverse selection of photography. The festival continues through Sunday.
CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards are an annual celebration of talent in Dallas-Fort Worth's restaurant and bar community, as selected by their peers. Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the city's restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. The swanky tasting event and awards ceremony, emceed by Tim Love, takes place at Sixty Five Hundred, where we celebrate the nominees and unveil the winners.
Friday, April 21
Earth Day Texas 2017
Earth Day Texas is a three-day event at Fair Park that features numerous outdoor experiences, including live music, sustainable beer and food pavilions, electric bike test tracks, and family activities. New this year is EarthxFilm, a concurrent film festival showcasing films and emerging media that explore science, conservation, climate change, and the environment. Both events will take place through Sunday.
USA Film Festival presents A Very Sordid Wedding
In A Very Sordid Wedding, it's 2015, 17 years after family matriarch Peggy tripped over G.W.’s wooden legs in Sordid Lives, and life has moved into the present for the residents of Winters, Texas. In the wake of the Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality, the Sordid saga continues. There are seven screenings of the film at Texas Theatre through April 30, with filmmakers in attendance at all screenings.
Dallas Opera presents Norma
The latest production from Dallas Opera is set during the Roman occupation of Gaul in 50 B.C., where a passionate love triangle in the midst of a deepening culture clash leads to dangerous consequences. Amid the turmoil of the occupation and impending revolution, Norma is driven to the brink of insanity, convinced of her betrayal and fearing disgrace for her fatherless children. The opera plays five times through May 7 at Winspear Opera House.
Improv Arlington presents Jay Pharoah
During his tenure on Saturday Night Live, Jay Pharoah proved himself to be one of the show's most talented and popular cast members, mostly thanks to his uncanny impressions of Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Stephen A. Smith, Kanye West, and Chris Tucker. He was unceremoniously fired from the show prior to this season, but their loss is our gain as he performs four times at Improv Arlington on Friday and Saturday.
Saturday, April 22
2017 Dallas Art Dealers Association Spring Gallery Walk
Dallas Art Dealers Association presents its annual Spring Gallery Walk, an event designed for everyone from the art novice to the aficionado. Participants can enjoy a full spectrum of gallery openings, special exhibitions, and art talks at over 30 art venues, including DADA members representing art dealer galleries and nonprofit art organization spaces.
Dallas Arts District presents Changing Perspectives Block Party
The Dallas Arts District closes down Flora Street from Routh to Crockett for a block party featuring Dallas' own Zhora and special guests Bandaloop: Vertical Dance Company. The event includes food trucks, a beer garden, an art fair, live mural painting, dance improv, and more. Bandaloop performs on the east side of the Hall Arts building at 3 pm, 5 pm, and 6 pm.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in concert with Joe Walsh
Tom Petty has been putting out memorable music for over 40 years, with a slew of hits that compare favorably to any classic musician. Petty and his longtime band, the Heartbreakers, come to American Airlines Center as part of their 40th anniversary tour. They are joined by another classic musician, special guest Joe Walsh of the Eagles.
Sunday, April 23
Arts & Letters Live: Chelsea Clinton
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton comes to Dallas to share insights from her book, It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going! The book is designed to inspire and empower readers of all ages to do their part to make the world a better place, as it addresses challenging issues prevalent in the modern world, including poverty, global warming, obesity, gender inequality, and cancer. The event takes place at the Dallas Museum of Art.
Earth Day Texas, which includes the new EarthxFilm festival, takes place at Fair Park April 21-23.
Skate the Square is an outdoor ice rink in Frisco. Frisco Square Facebook 
Peace Plaza Ice Rink Photo courtesy of Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau 
Stockyards Rodeo Rink is moseying into Fort Worth's historic district for the season. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock 
2022 Olympic pairs skater Ashley Cain (show here with former partner Timothy LeDuc) will make a solo appearance at the Hilton Anatole and Galleria Dallas ice rinks. Getty Images 
Galleria Dallas and its very Christmas tree. Photo courtesy of Galleria Dallas 